


Ashes to Ashes

by Fallingtowardsoblivion



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Funny in a horrible way, M/M, One Shot, Yikes, canon character death, somewhat happy ending?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 19:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12966582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallingtowardsoblivion/pseuds/Fallingtowardsoblivion
Summary: Arthur's last goodbye.





	Ashes to Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a true story involving me and my dog?

Merlin held the vessel closer to his chest, protecting it with his arms and the hunch of his body in a way that he could never protect its occupant.

  
The thought of Arthur - the warmth of his smile and the deadweight of his injured body - brought Merlin back to the sharp shock of reality. Arthur was dead - a simple, preventable death…

  
Merlin had left him for a moment, intent on retrieving a stray horse that had run off. Upon his return, though, mare in tow, he came across Arthur, bleeding out on the ground with the words ‘Mordred…’ and ‘traitor….’ bubbling from his slackening lips.

  
Merlin had dragged his dying body all the way to Camelot’s gates, only to have his last breath be drawn mere steps from the city’s entrance.

  
He had dropped to his knees, then - slack body in hand - and wailed a lament to his fallen king that even the gods of old could probably have heard.

  
Merlin mourned, then. The people did too - putting their king’s body on chips of ice and singing their own sadness in the form of offered dishes, flowers and prayers for a fortnight. Yet the people’s mourning was not of the same tone and agony; after all though Arthur had brought them great joy, it had not been on nearly as personal a level as Merlin’s.

  
After all, Merlin could scarcely say he shared his lover with any others in the kingdom. Guinevere was long gone, Lancelot leaving in her wake.

  
Simply, Merlin knew the man in a way no other could ever fathom.  
And so that made the pain of the loss that much more acute.  
It had been a solemn decision, yet unanimous. A final pyre was lit in the courtyard of Camelot - yet this one was not burning from fear and hatred. Rather, it was burning brightly in the honor of Albion’s one true king.

  
But now, it was just Merlin… Alone in a cliff overlooking the kingdom that he and Arthur built together. The kingdom that Merlin now had to live in, alone.

  
The tears came to his eyes swiftly, pouring down in a silent show of grief.

  
Oh, Arthur.

  
He sobbed, then, a broken choked off sound - bringing the polished urn to his lips to give it one last revered kiss. Then, he pulled the lid off, not daring to look at the contents.

  
For a moment he hesitated, not wanting to part with the last physical connection he had with his fallen King. But no - Arthur would've wanted it this way.

  
“Goodbye, my love…” It was a whisper, but Merlin dared not say it any louder, for fear of his whole heart breaking under the pressure of such words.

  
One last choking sob, and then the warlock lifted the urn, tossing the contents to the wind, watching as the winds changed and Arthur’s ashes -

  
“GAH! Bloody hell!”

  
And… Then the great king’s ashes were all down Merlin’s front, sticking to his tear stained cheeks, catching in his cloak.

  
He panicked, not sure if he should brush the ashes off, is that rude?! Or should he just strip and toss the clothes too? Or -

  
Faintly, on the wind, Merlin swore he heard a laugh… A very _prickish_ laugh…

  
“ARTHUR!”

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously this is based on a true story involving me and my childhood dog's ashes. ;_;


End file.
